1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and particularly to a cable connector assembly with retention means which facilitates assembly of the cable connector to an application.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A conventional cable connector assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a housing 60 and a cable connector 50 attached to an inclined portion of the housing 60 by a pair of bolts 7 so that the cable connector 50 can be readily mated with a complimentary connector, such as a USB computer connector. The connector 50 includes a pair of wings 52 perpendicularly extending from lateral sides of a rectangular case 51 of the connector 50. A pair of posts 61 projects from the housing 60 substantially perpendicular to the inclined portion of the housing 60. The connector 50 is adapted for insertion into the housing 60 through an opening defined between the posts 61. Since the posts 61 have the same height, the wings 52 secured to the posts 61 are parallel to the housing 60. However, the housing 60 in some applications, such as MP3, deviates from the horizontal and the wings 52 thus incline with the housing 60. The bolts 7, which extend through the wings 52 in a direction perpendicular to the wings 52, will have to be inserted from some non-vertical direction. The insertion of the bolts 7 is therefore difficult and carries a risk of mismatch between the bolts 7 and the posts 61.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly which has a connector adapted to be facilely and reliably secured to a housing.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a connector includes a rectangular dielectric case, a shell depending from the case, a plug portion depending from the shell, and a signal cable extending from a top end of the case. A plurality of terminals of the connector is secured in the plug portion. A housing consists of an inclined base, a pair of sleeves upwardly extending at an angle to the base, and an opening defined between the sleeves. Each sleeve defines a mating surface at an upper side thereof and a threaded recess. The mating surfaces are horizontal and inclined to the base while the recesses extend in a vertical direction.
The case has a first wing and a second wing extending from lateral sides thereof. The first wing and the second wing each define an extending plane at a bottom side thereof for horizontally mating with the mating surfaces of the sleeves.
In assembly, the connector moves downwardly from a top side of the housing. The plug portion extends through and beyond the opening of the housing while the shell fits within the opening. The wings thus touch the mating surfaces of the sleeves and the through holes of the wings align with the recesses of corresponding sleeves. It is a feature that through holes and the recesses are aligned in a vertical direction such that an insertion of bolts is essentially in a vertical direction.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.